How Much Proof Do You Need And How Much Press Does It Take?

     If something is shown to be 500% safer than something else, and proven to save 92 out of 100 lives, why would you not do the safer thing? Doesn't it seem logical to do the safer thing? What if that thing is PROVEN to save your child? Does that change your mind? Would you do it if you were shown that this thing is a very simple and easy thing to do? It takes no more effort than most other things and yet millions of kids don't get the benefit of this thing. Would you like to know what it is?

        Rear-face Beyond One Year Old

That's right. That's ALL you have to do in order to increase your child's chance of surviving a car accident by 500%. EVERYONE would be safer rear-facing, but, it's impractical for us adults whereas it is NOT impractical for kids. Your child needs to rear-face to the MAX of their convertible carseat. Be sure to READ THE SEAT MANUAL AND THE CAR MANUAL so that you will know the specifications of your carseat and the recommendations for carseats in your car. Even the cheapest carseat will safely rear-face a child up to 35lbs. The Cosco Scenera is around $40 at Wal-Mart. I personally like the Britax which will rear-face up to 40lbs. or the Radian XTLS which is now the Diono RXT which rear-faces up to 45lbs.

Now I know, I know...It's time for the "but's":

My child is "TOO" big to rear-face: 

Well, at 2, if your child was in the 95% for height and weight, they would have to be 37in and 33lbs. Hmmm...even the cheap Cosco will still hold your child until age 2, not 1, 2. The Cosco Scenera maxes out rear-facing at 36in and 35lbs. So, even with the cheapest, lowest limit seat and the biggest kid in the neighborhood, you can still safely rear-face your child until at least age 2. If you went for the DionoRXT, your child can safely ride rear-facing even longer. Hopefully to age 4 or 5 like the kids in Sweden where they rear-face until around age 5. They also lowered their child fatalities to almost 0. That's right, their parents can't say they are "TOO big to rear-face". 

Their legs were uncomfortable and they preferred to have them dangle in the air:

As a rather short adult with even shorter relatives, I can assure you, we as adults would rather have our legs folded up in the seat with us instead of dangling in the air. Kids want it even more so. Not only that, there haven't been ANY reports of broken legs due to rear-facing. However, the NUMBER ONE injury reported in crashes involving forward facing kids? Broken legs and pelvises. Kids are more flexible than adults and I assure you, they won't mind their legs being where they are when rear-facing. 

My kid wants to face forward:

If your child ONLY knows rear-facing, they can't "miss" forward facing enough to "want" to do it.

My kid throws a fit when rear-facing so I am turning them forward:

If your child threw a fit wanting to touch a hot stove, would you allow them just so they won't scream anymore? Would you allow them to get their way no mater what it was just because they screamed? So why would you allow them to throw a fit and get something from it here?

Not to mention, your kid is hating to be strapped down in a seat, they don't care that it is not facing the front.



Please Rear-face PAST One Year!

I am still seeing so many kids forward facing at one. If you believe in rear-facing, please help me spread the word so that others can be informed of the risks of early turning...